Abstract Alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) is one of the most effective and cost-effective preventive health services, and SBI to address unhealthy use of alcohol and other drugs has been a significant focus of research, policy, and clinical programs in the US. Yet many unanswered research questions remain, including how to deliver alcohol SBI in regular clinical practice, how to effectively intervene with respect to drug use, and how new approaches could be applied to increase the reach and effectiveness of interventions. It is essential for researchers to come together now to share their knowledge and map the next phase of SBI research. To provide a forum for knowledge exchange, an alcohol and drug SBI conference is planned for New York, NY, September 14-15, 2017. The conference will be the 14th annual meeting of the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol and Other Drugs (INEBRIA), and represents only the third such meeting to be held in the US. INEBRIA is the only organization in the world dedicated to SBI research on alcohol and other drugs. INEBRIA's goals include translating evidence for SBI into practice, identifying and promoting SBI best practices, identifying SBI research gaps and needs, promoting international research cooperation, and setting standards for research in the field. The conference theme `Screening and brief intervention at the intersection of research, policy and practice: Advancing knowledge and meeting new challenges' highlights a focus on practice-based research that informs policy and can impact health at the population level. The goal of this INEBRIA research conference is to present findings from and promote further development of SBI research, with a particular emphasis on implementing and scaling up what works, and finding new approaches to addressing unhealthy substance use (including alcohol and other drugs) that are feasible, effective, and sustainable. The specific aims are: (1) to communicate and disseminate research findings about SBI implementation and dissemination, SBI in the larger context of behavioral health, and new advances in SBI research, (including digital platforms and interventions targeting adolescent substance use); (2) to increase collaboration among SBI researchers across the US and worldwide; and (3) to engage junior researchers in SBI research and provide them with a forum for presenting their work and finding mentoring opportunities. The 2017 INEBRIA conference will convene a large and diverse group of researchers in an epicenter of substance use research, New York, NY, for 2 days of research presentations and discussions. Conference planning committees have been convened. The program will include plenary sessions, research abstract presentations and workshops, and a poster session. Abstracts will be peer reviewed by the Scientific Committee, which will select those that present high quality research on alcohol or drug SBI. The 2017 INEBRIA conference will clarify the state of research science related to SBI through international discussion and collaboration, and presents a unique opportunity to advance the field.